Show Review: Salvador Dali Parton at Exit/In – 10/26

Super-group alert! If you have never heard of Salvador Dali Parton, I’ll cut you some slack considering the band only came together a week ago, but they’re one group you’re going to want to know about. Made up of Mumford and Sons’ Winston Marshall, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Gil Landry, Jake Orrall of Jeff the Brotherhood, Mike Harris of Apache Relay, and fronted by Justin Hayward-Young of The Vaccines, Salvador Dali Parton’s existence in the music world was short-lived but oh so sweet. After a 20-minute songwriting session, one day of practice, a fair amount of whiskey, and a night of six shows, Salvador Dali Parton disbanded early Sunday morning.

Considering the collection of artists who made up this group, no one could have predicted that they’d deliver a mix of emo punk and doom metal, made even better by Marshall’s appearance in a dress, fishnet stockings, a fur coat, and a platinum blonde wig to complete the bizarre look. As soon as the show began, a robed Hayward-Young turned into a man on a mission: to deliver as many death stares and theatrically foreboding hand gestures as possible. Their set-list consisted of mostly impromptu instrumentals but with only one practice session together, they managed to pull off a very entertaining show. Much to my and the rest of the audience’s enjoyment, Marshall and Hayward-Young were both very involved with the audience throughout the show I attended at the Exit/In. At one point, a slightly inebriated Marshall invited an audience member on stage for a slow dance.

Despite having lasted just a little over half an hour, I can easily say that Salvador Dali Parton delivered one of the most entertaining and memorable shows I’ve seen. Even after seeing them perform, I’m not entirely sure what their sound is; I only know that it’s a good one.